Don’t faints seem mysterious? It’s as if your computer crashed and had to reboot. Although we never seemingly figure out why computers are so crazy, fainting (syncope) is reducible to a common denominator: something causes a decrease in blood flow to your brain. Recall that oxygen and other needed nutrients are carried in blood, so even a temporary stoppage or shortage of blood flow shuts things down. Now extrapolate that to strokes and comas, which are often due to serious and prolonged causes of blockage to the blood vessels supplying the brain. This is a prime example of why good blood flow and good health are so important. The brain is a highly efficient, oxygen and energy-guzzling organ. Shut it down for even a few seconds, and bad things start to happen. Consider fainting a warning sign.

I’m going to start by offering some Quick Tips to help if you find yourself around someone who has fainted. Then, I will get into the weeds of why these things happen for those interested. I’m doing this so you can check these and determine where your risks may be.

Call 911. Make sure the person is still breathing and has a pulse. If not, start CPR.

Loosen clothing, especially around the neck.

Elevate the legs above the level of the chest.

If the fainter vomited, turn him/her to the side to help avoid choking and food going down the airway (aspiration).

A diabetic may have been given instructions to eat or drink something if s/he feels as if s/he is going to faint. If you know this, a faint would be a good time to administer any glucose gel or supplies advised by a physician. Prompt treatment of low blood sugar reactions is a life-saver. Discuss and coordinate how you can perform this effort on behalf of your friends and family with their physicians.

If it’s possible that the faint is part of some heat emergency (heat exhaustion or heat stroke).

Actually, faints are caused by all kinds of medical problems. I list a few notable causes below, but whether the front end difficulty is with the heart pumping, the nerves conducting, or the content of oxygen or energy being delivered, the end result is the same.

Decreased nerve tone (vasovagal syncope): This is the most common cause of faints, and contrary to what you might think, it happens more often in kids and young adults than in the elderly. Understand that your nerves actually regulate blood flow (analogous to a train conductor telling the heart to speed up or pump harder or not). Changes in nerve tone can result in errant signals being sent, transiently resulting in low flow.

Diseases and conditions that affect the nervous system and/or ability to regulate blood pressure: Alcoholism, dehydration, diabetes and malnutrition are conditions that may depress the nervous system. Alternatively, coughing, having a bowel movement (especially if straining) and urination may abnormally stimulate the system. In the elderly and those bedridden, simply standing can cause fainting due to difficulty regulating blood pressure. In this case, standing causes a sharp drop in blood pressure.

Anemia: A deficiency in blood cells can lead to a deficiency in oxygen delivery to the brain.

Low blood sugar (hypoglycemia): Low energy states can deplete the body of what it needs to operate effectively, leading to low blood flow.

Medications (especially those treating high blood pressure): anything that lowers the heart’s ability to vigorously pump blood around the body can leave the brain inadequately supplied, leading to a blackout. Let’s include illicit drugs and alcohol in this category.

Panic attacks: Hyperventilation caused by anxiety and panic upset the balance between oxygen and carbon dioxide in the brain, which can lead to fainting spells.

Seizures: Here’s a chicken and egg scenario. A prolonged faint can lead to a seizure, and seizures lead to periods of unconsciousness, during and after the seizure. The lack of oxygen is a common denominator.

Don’t faints seem mysterious? It’s as if your computer crashed and had to reboot. Although we never seemingly figure out why computers are so crazy, fainting (syncope) is reducible to a common denominator: something causes a decrease in blood flow to your brain. Recall that oxygen and other needed nutrients are carried in blood, so even a temporary stoppage or shortage of blood flow shuts things down. Now extrapolate that to strokes and comas, which are often due to serious and prolonged causes of blockage to the blood vessels supplying the brain. This is a prime example of why good blood flow and good health are so important. The brain is a highly efficient, oxygen and energy-guzzling organ. Shut it down for even a few seconds, and bad things start to happen. Consider fainting a warning sign.

I’m going to start by offering some Quick Tips to help if you find yourself around someone who has fainted. Then, I will get into the weeds of why these things happen for those interested. I’m doing this so you can check these and determine where your risks may be.

Call 911. Make sure the person is still breathing and has a pulse. If not, start CPR.

Loosen clothing, especially around the neck.

Elevate the legs above the level of the chest.

If the fainter vomited, turn him/her to the side to help avoid choking and food going down the airway (aspiration).

A diabetic may have been given instructions to eat or drink something if s/he feels as if s/he is going to faint. If you know this, a faint would be a good time to administer any glucose gel or supplies advised by a physician. Prompt treatment of low blood sugar reactions is a life-saver. Discuss and coordinate how you can perform this effort on behalf of your friends and family with their physicians.

If it’s possible that the faint is part of some heat emergency (heat exhaustion or heat stroke).

Actually, faints are caused by all kinds of medical problems. I list a few notable causes below, but whether the front end difficulty is with the heart pumping, the nerves conducting, or the content of oxygen or energy being delivered, the end result is the same.

Decreased nerve tone (vasovagal syncope): This is the most common cause of faints, and contrary to what you might think, it happens more often in kids and young adults than in the elderly. Understand that your nerves actually regulate blood flow (analogous to a train conductor telling the heart to speed up or pump harder or not). Changes in nerve tone can result in errant signals being sent, transiently resulting in low flow.

Diseases and conditions that affect the nervous system and/or ability to regulate blood pressure: Alcoholism, dehydration, diabetes and malnutrition are conditions that may depress the nervous system. Alternatively, coughing, having a bowel movement (especially if straining) and urination may abnormally stimulate the system. In the elderly and those bedridden, simply standing can cause fainting due to difficulty regulating blood pressure. In this case, standing causes a sharp drop in blood pressure.

Anemia: A deficiency in blood cells can lead to a deficiency in oxygen delivery to the brain.

Low blood sugar (hypoglycemia): Low energy states can deplete the body of what it needs to operate effectively, leading to low blood flow.

Medications (especially those treating high blood pressure): anything that lowers the heart’s ability to vigorously pump blood around the body can leave the brain inadequately supplied, leading to a blackout. Let’s include illicit drugs and alcohol in this category.

Panic attacks: Hyperventilation caused by anxiety and panic upset the balance between oxygen and carbon dioxide in the brain, which can lead to fainting spells.

Seizures: Here’s a chicken and egg scenario. A prolonged faint can lead to a seizure, and seizures lead to periods of unconsciousness, during and after the seizure. The lack of oxygen is a common denominator.

There is so much mystery among the lay population about how the brain works, even under normal circumstances. It is very scary to patients and families when things occur that remove one’s ability to control their own brain and bodily functions. Seizures are a prime example of this. There are so many things about seizures that confuse and scare patients and families. Your questions are diverse, during and after the event…

Is s/he dying?

Is there a brain tumor or an aneurysm?

Will there be brain damage afterwards?

Can s/he drive a car?

And on and on… This Straight, No Chaser will take a look at the causes of seizures. Subsequent posts will address home care, treatment considerations and special circumstances involving seizures.

Here’s an overly simplistic way to understand seizures: Different parts of the brain approximate a map that controls different parts of the body. A seizure results from some abnormal electrical activity occurring after something stimulates a part of the brain. It’s as if the seizure is the scratch to something that made the brain itch. There are many different conditions that can precipitate a seizure in all its different varieties, including the following:

Abnormal levels of certain normal substances in the blood (e.g. sodium or glucose)

Abnormal levels of many different prescribed medications

Abnormally high blood pressure (malignant hypertension)

Abuse of street drugs (e.g. angel dust (PCP), cocaine, amphetamines)

Alcohol withdrawal (and withdrawal from certain other drugs in those addicted)

Brain infection (e.g. meningitis or encephalitis)

Brain injury that occurs to the baby during labor or childbirth

Brain problems that occur before or during birth (congenital brain defects)

Brain tumor

Electric shock

Epilepsy (the condition of having seizures after underlying issues have been addressed)

Fever (especially in young children)

Head injury

Heart disease

Heat illness (e.g. heat stroke)

High fever

Kidney failure

Liver failure

Phenylketonuria (PKU)

Poisonings

Stroke (cerebrovascular accidents)

Toxemia of pregnancy

Venomous bites and stings (snake bite)

In many instances, seizures occur without an identified cause. Many of you who have seen seizures are familiar with the uncontrollable shakes with loss of consciousness. It’s important to note there are many other symptoms and varieties of seizures. These correspond to the part of the brain being affected. Here is a list of common symptoms associated with seizures.

1. So can faints be deadly?

Potentially. There are three separate sets of considerations. The brain can’t survive very long without adequate oxygen. Whatever caused that faint, if it continues to deny oxygen to the brain, can lead to seizures, strokes and death. The process that caused the faint could be deadly in and of itself. Such things would include heart attacks, strokes, seizures due to bleeding inside the brain. Significant injuries may occur after the faint. Someone who falls may subsequently suffer a head or neck injury, which could be deadly, independent of the cause of the faint. It’s worth mentioning that it’s an especially odd behavior that people seem to travel to the bathroom when they feel dizzy. All things considered, it’s better to faint in your soft bed or surrounding carpeted floor than on the hard tile of a typical bathroom with even harder sinks, toilets and tubs in close proximity. 2. My doctor always warns me about high blood sugars. You mentioned low blood sugars as a cause of faints. Am I putting myself in danger if I’m taking sugar and my sugar level is already high? If you know all of that, yes. More often, you know none of that. Here’s the deal. Both a high and low glucose (blood sugar) count can cause altered mental status, fainting and coma. If your glucose level is especially high, say 900, and you drink some orange juice, it won’t make much of a difference. If your glucose level is 0, and you are given some orange juice, your life just got saved. In other words, it’s medically worth the risk if you don’t know what the glucose level is. 3. Can a loved one really take my breath away? Yes. Overstimulation can lead to syncope in a variety of ways as mentioned previously. 4. What’s with the goats? If you’re referring to Tennessee fainting goats, they exist. The goats don’t actually faint. When startled, they become stiff to the point of being unable to move their legs. Subsequently, the terrified goats can’t run and just topple over. Here you go.

Don’t faints seem mysterious? It’s as if your computer crashed and had to reboot. Although we never seemingly figure out why computers are so crazy, fainting (syncope) is reducible to a common denominator: something causes a decrease in blood flow to your brain. Recall that oxygen and other needed nutrients are carried in blood, so even a temporary stoppage or shortage of blood flow shuts things down. Now extrapolate that to strokes and comas, which are often due to serious and prolonged causes of blockage to the blood vessels supplying the brain. This is a prime example of why good blood flow and good health are so important. The brain is a highly efficient, oxygen and energy-guzzling organ. Shut it down for even a few seconds, and bad things start to happen. Consider fainting a warning sign.

I’m going to start by offering some Quick Tips to help if you find yourself around someone who has fainted. Then, I will get into the weeds of why these things happen for those interested. I’m doing this so you can check these and determine where your risks may be.

Call 911. Make sure the person is still breathing and has a pulse. If not, start CPR.

Loosen clothing, especially around the neck.

Elevate the legs above the level of the chest.

If the fainter vomited, turn him/her to the side to help avoid choking and food going down the airway (aspiration).

A diabetic may have been given instructions to eat or drink something if s/he feels as if s/he is going to faint. If you know this, a faint would be a good time to administer any glucose gel or supplies advised by a physician. Prompt treatment of low blood sugar reactions is a life-saver. Discuss and coordinate how you can perform this effort on behalf of your friends and family with their physicians.

If it’s possible that the faint is part of some heat emergency (heat exhaustion or heat stroke).

Actually, faints are caused by all kinds of medical problems. I list a few notable causes below, but whether the front end difficulty is with the heart pumping, the nerves conducting, or the content of oxygen or energy being delivered, the end result is the same.

Decreased nerve tone (vasovagal syncope): This is the most common cause of faints, and contrary to what you might think, it happens more often in kids and young adults than in the elderly. Understand that your nerves actually regulate blood flow (analogous to a train conductor telling the heart to speed up or pump harder or not). Changes in nerve tone can result in errant signals being sent, transiently resulting in low flow.

Diseases and conditions that affect the nervous system and/or ability to regulate blood pressure: Alcoholism, dehydration, diabetes and malnutrition are conditions that may depress the nervous system. Alternatively, coughing, having a bowel movement (especially if straining) and urination may abnormally stimulate the system. In the elderly and those bedridden, simply standing can cause fainting due to difficulty regulating blood pressure. In this case, standing causes a sharp drop in blood pressure.

Anemia: A deficiency in blood cells can lead to a deficiency in oxygen delivery to the brain.

Low blood sugar (hypoglycemia): Low energy states can deplete the body of what it needs to operate effectively, leading to low blood flow.

Medications (especially those treating high blood pressure): anything that lowers the heart’s ability to vigorously pump blood around the body can leave the brain inadequately supplied, leading to a blackout. Let’s include illicit drugs and alcohol in this category.

Panic attacks: Hyperventilation caused by anxiety and panic upset the balance between oxygen and carbon dioxide in the brain, which can lead to fainting spells.

Seizures: Here’s a chicken and egg scenario. A prolonged faint can lead to a seizure, and seizures lead to periods of unconsciousness, during and after the seizure. The lack of oxygen is a common denominator.

There is so much mystery among the lay population about how the brain works, even under normal circumstances. It is very scary to patients and families when things occur that remove one’s ability to control their own brain and bodily functions. Seizures are a prime example of this. There are so many things about seizures that confuse and scare patients and families. Your questions are diverse, during and after the event…

Is s/he dying?

Is there a brain tumor or an aneurysm?

Will there be brain damage afterwards?

Can s/he drive a car?

And on and on… This Straight, No Chaser will take a look at the causes of seizures. Subsequent posts will address home care, treatment considerations and special circumstances involving seizures.

Here’s an overly simplistic way to understand seizures: Different parts of the brain approximate a map that controls different parts of the body. A seizure results from some abnormal electrical activity occurring after something stimulates a part of the brain. It’s as if the seizure is the scratch to something that made the brain itch. There are many different conditions that can precipitate a seizure in all its different varieties, including the following:

Abnormal levels of certain normal substances in the blood (e.g. sodium or glucose)

Abnormal levels of many different prescribed medications

Abnormally high blood pressure (malignant hypertension)

Abuse of street drugs (e.g. angel dust (PCP), cocaine, amphetamines)

Alcohol withdrawal (and withdrawal from certain other drugs in those addicted)

Brain infection (e.g. meningitis or encephalitis)

Brain injury that occurs to the baby during labor or childbirth

Brain problems that occur before or during birth (congenital brain defects)

Brain tumor

Electric shock

Epilepsy (the condition of having seizures after underlying issues have been addressed)

Fever (especially in young children)

Head injury

Heart disease

Heat illness (e.g. heat stroke)

High fever

Kidney failure

Liver failure

Phenylketonuria (PKU)

Poisonings

Stroke (cerebrovascular accidents)

Toxemia of pregnancy

Venomous bites and stings (snake bite)

In many instances, seizures occur without an identified cause. Many of you who have seen seizures are familiar with the uncontrollable shakes with loss of consciousness. It’s important to note there are many other symptoms and varieties of seizures. These correspond to the part of the brain being affected. Here is a list of common symptoms associated with seizures.

Brief blackout followed by a period of confusion and transient loss of memory

Drooling or frothing at the mouth

Eye movements, such as twitching

Falling

Grunting and snorting

Loss of bladder or bowel control during the seizure

Tasting a bitter or metallic flavor

Teeth clenching

Temporary stop in breathing

Although there are many types of seizures, it is less important for you to know how to categorize them than to know how to recognize a potential seizure and when to seek help. The next Straight, No Chaser addresses self-help and treatment considerations in the event of a seizure. Feel free to ask your SMA expert consultant any questions you may have on this topic. Order your copy of Dr. Sterling’s new book Behind The Curtain: A Peek at Life from within the ER at jeffreysterlingbooks.com, iTunes, Amazon, Barnes and Nobles and wherever books are sold. Thanks for liking and following Straight, No Chaser! This public service provides a sample of what http://www.SterlingMedicalAdvice.com (SMA) and 844-SMA-TALK offers. Please share our page with your friends on WordPress, like us on Facebook @ SterlingMedicalAdvice.com and follow us on Twitter at @asksterlingmd.

There is so much mystery among the lay population about how the brain works, even under normal circumstances. It is very scary to patients and families when things occur that remove one’s ability to control their own brain and bodily functions. Seizures are a prime example of this. There are so many things about seizures that confuse and scare patients and families. Your questions are diverse, during and after the event…

Is s/he dying?

Is there a brain tumor or an aneurysm?

Will there be brain damage afterwards?

Can s/he drive a car?

And on and on… This Straight, No Chaser will take a look at the causes of seizures. Subsequent posts will address home care, treatment considerations and special circumstances involving seizures.

Here’s an overly simplistic way to understand seizures: Different parts of the brain approximate a map that controls different parts of the body. A seizure results from some abnormal electrical activity occurring after something stimulates a part of the brain. It’s as if the seizure is the scratch to something that made the brain itch.

There are many different conditions that can precipitate a seizure in all its different varieties, including the following:

Abnormal levels of certain normal substances in the blood (e.g. sodium or glucose)

Abnormal levels of many different prescribed medications

Abnormally high blood pressure (malignant hypertension)

Abuse of street drugs (e.g. angel dust (PCP), cocaine, amphetamines)

Alcohol withdrawal (and withdrawal from certain other drugs in those addicted)

Brain infection (e.g. meningitis or encephalitis)

Brain injury that occurs to the baby during labor or childbirth

Brain problems that occur before or during birth (congenital brain defects)

Brain tumor

Electric shock

Epilepsy (the condition of having seizures after underlying issues have been addressed)

Fever (especially in young children)

Head injury

Heart disease

Heat illness (e.g. heat stroke)

High fever

Kidney failure

Liver failure

Phenylketonuria (PKU)

Poisonings

Stroke (cerebrovascular accidents)

Toxemia of pregnancy

Venomous bites and stings (snake bite)

In many instances, seizures occur without an identified cause. Many of you who have seen seizures are familiar with the uncontrollable shakes with loss of consciousness. It’s important to note there are many other symptoms and varieties of seizures. These correspond to the part of the brain being affected. Here is a list of common symptoms associated with seizures.

Don’t faints seem mysterious? It’s as if your computer crashed and had to reboot. Although we never seemingly figure out why computers are so crazy, fainting (syncope) is reducible to a common denominator: something causes a decrease in blood flow to your brain. Recall that oxygen and other needed nutrients are carried in blood, so even a temporary stoppage or shortage of blood flow shuts things down. Now extrapolate that to strokes and comas, which are often due to serious and prolonged causes of blockage to the blood vessels supplying the brain. This is a prime example of why good blood flow and good health are so important. The brain is a highly efficient, oxygen and energy-guzzling organ. Shut it down for even a few seconds, and bad things start to happen. Consider fainting a warning sign.

I’m going to start by offering some Quick Tips to help if you find yourself around someone who has fainted. Then, I will get into the weeds of why these things happen for those interested. I’m doing this so you can check these and determine where your risks may be.

Call 911. Make sure the person is still breathing and has a pulse. If not, start CPR.

Loosen clothing, especially around the neck.

Elevate the legs above the level of the chest.

If the fainter vomited, turn him/her to the side to help avoid choking and food going down the airway (aspiration).

A diabetic may have been given instructions to eat or drink something if s/he feels as if s/he is going to faint. If you know this, a faint would be a good time to administer any glucose gel or supplies advised by a physician. Prompt treatment of low blood sugar reactions is a life-saver. Discuss and coordinate how you can perform this effort on behalf of your friends and family with their physicians.

If it’s possible that the faint is part of some heat emergency (heat exhaustion or heat stroke).

Actually, faints are caused by all kinds of medical problems. I list a few notable causes below, but whether the front end difficulty is with the heart pumping, the nerves conducting, or the content of oxygen or energy being delivered, the end result is the same.

Decreased nerve tone (vasovagal syncope): This is the most common cause of faints, and contrary to what you might think, it happens more often in kids and young adults than in the elderly. Understand that your nerves actually regulate blood flow (analogous to a train conductor telling the heart to speed up or pump harder or not). Changes in nerve tone can result in errant signals being sent, transiently resulting in low flow.

Diseases and conditions that affect the nervous system and/or ability to regulate blood pressure: Alcoholism, dehydration, diabetes and malnutrition are conditions that may depress the nervous system. Alternatively, coughing, having a bowel movement (especially if straining) and urination may abnormally stimulate the system. In the elderly and those bedridden, simply standing can cause fainting due to difficulty regulating blood pressure. In this case, standing causes a sharp drop in blood pressure.

Anemia: A deficiency in blood cells can lead to a deficiency in oxygen delivery to the brain.

Low blood sugar (hypoglycemia): Low energy states can deplete the body of what it needs to operate effectively, leading to low blood flow.

Medications (especially those treating high blood pressure): anything that lowers the heart’s ability to vigorously pump blood around the body can leave the brain inadequately supplied, leading to a blackout. Let’s include illicit drugs and alcohol in this category.

Panic attacks: Hyperventilation caused by anxiety and panic upset the balance between oxygen and carbon dioxide in the brain, which can lead to fainting spells.

Seizures: Here’s a chicken and egg scenario. A prolonged faint can lead to a seizure, and seizures lead to periods of unconsciousness, during and after the seizure. The lack of oxygen is a common denominator.